TWO sisters are celebrating landmark birthdays totalling more than 200 years.

Margaret Gilbert and Joan Baker have just turned 105 and 100 respectively.

Mrs Gilbert was born on Christmas Day in 1914 and Mrs Baker was born on December 29, 1919.

Despite living their own lives and having their own families, the sisters live just four doors apart in Green Lane, Aldham.

Mrs Gilbert used to live in Marks Tey before moving to Feering when she married her husband, George, in 1936.

They had a son, Richard, in the 1940s.

Mrs Gilbert said: “I met George in 1932 and we married in 1936.

“We met at a dance, one of the village hops.

“He was a bricklayer and then he had to go into the Army towards the end of the war, he was a dispatch rider.”

Mr Gilbert died in his fifties and Mrs Gilbert moved to Aldham to live with her son.

Sadly Richard got lung cancer and Mrs Gilbert ended up nursing him, acting as his carer at 100-years-old.

He died a couple of years ago, aged 76.

Judy Alden, who is a second cousin to the sisters but calls them her ‘aunties’, said: “Margaret was in an odd position as she didn’t want to outlive her son.

“She was still looking after her son at 100-years-old. I wonder if that’s what gave her the push to keep on going sometimes.

“She has always been very busy, she always gets on with people, she’s a friendly soul.

“She went to North Primary School as a child and she did an interview there when the school was celebrating 125 years.

“She used to work in a plant nursery.”

Mrs Gilbert said working in the nursery and being in the fresh air has kept her healthy.

She said: “I had home grown food when I was young, I didn’t drink much and I have never smoked so I put it down to good living.

“Also I got lots of fresh air at the nursery, I was there for seven years before leaving to get married.”

Up until three years ago she would play the piano at family get togethers.

She still enjoys a good joke and says the key to long life is to be trusting and friendly.

Her sister, Joan, has also always lived in Essex, but she never had children.

She married her husband, Francis, who she nicknamed ‘Ticker’, during the war in the 1940s.

She also worked at the plant nursery like her sister and this is where she met her husband.He ended up working as a bus inspector.

Judy said: “The Saving Grace for Joan was she used to write poetry.

“She would send poems to the Army and the Queen and would always get a reply.

“They were very good and light hearted. She won a competition a few years ago.”

The sisters find it a comfort living a few doors apart, but they still have their different personalities and joke about never being able to live together.

Judy said: “Margaret was living there first in her bungalow and while Joan was still married she lived in a big house just over the back of the bungalows.

“I believe when her husband died they thought she could move into a bungalow and she could be near her sister.

“They try to see each other every couple of weeks as they aren’t always able to get out.”

Both sisters still read the newspapers daily and enjoy keeping up with goings on in the town.

Judy said Mrs Baker has always been creative and Mrs Gilbert has always enjoyed helping others.

They also have a brother, John, who is a youngster of 92.